Russia needs India as a major trade and economic partner in the first place, Russian Vice-Premier Dmitry Rogozin told TASS on Tuesday after his visit to New Delhi.

"In conditions of sectoral sanctions, which have been imposed on Russia (though it is fighting them with its economic dynamism), we still need a big partner that can fill the vacant niches of cooperation that appeared after our retaliatory measures," the Russian vice-premier said. "I am confident that they should and can be filled with Indian manufacturers," Rogozin stressed.

"Previously, it could seem that we were focused on military-technological cooperation. It is no longer so. We need India as a major trade and economic partner in the first place in conditions when we can no longer maintain economic interaction with partners like Turkey because they have indeed been treacherous and cunning and have committed something, which is going to throw our relations far back," the Russian vice-premier went on to say.

According to Rogozin, Russia and India should develop trade and economic relations to fill the enormous vacuum, which has been created.

Rogozin said that a strong-willed solution on long-standing problems, including a couple of failed projects, which had plagued the Russian-Indian relations over the past years, would lead to an upsurge of bilateral trade and economic ties.

Russian-Indian cooperation in the peaceful use of atom is moving in the right direction, Rogozin emphasized. "The two sides discussed further development of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant as well as the construction of new Russia-designed NPPs at other sites in India. I would not like to forestall the results of the forthcoming bilateral summit due to take place in Moscow on December 24-25 but I can say that we are moving in the right direction,"

Russia is building the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in India under the 1988 inter-governmental agreement and the 1998 addition to it. The station’s first nuclear power unit is the most powerful and safest in India. It meets all modern safety standards. The unit was included in India’s national energy grid in 2013 and handed over to the annual period of guarantee maintenance ending in late 2015. Pre-starting works are under way at the second nuclear power unit.

Russia and India signed the master framework agreement for the construction of the second stage (the third and fourth power units) of the Kudankulam NPP in spring 2014. In December the same year, the sides signed documents allowing the construction to begin.

In December 2014, Moscow and New Delhi signed a document on strategic vision of strengthening cooperation in peaceful use of atomic energy. The document outlines plans for the construction of more than 20 nuclear power units in India; cooperation in the construction of Russia-designed NPPs in third countries as well as joint uranium extraction; the production of nuclear fuel and nuclear waste disposal.

According to Rogozin, Russia needs India as a major trade and economic partner in the first place.

"In conditions of sectoral sanctions, which have been imposed on Russia (though it is fighting them with its economic dynamism), we still need a big partner that can fill the vacant niches of cooperation that appeared after our retaliatory measures," the Russian vice-premier said. "I am confident that they should and can be filled with Indian manufacturers," Rogozin told TASS.

"Previously, it could seem that we were focused on military-technological cooperation. It is no longer so. We need India as a major trade and economic partner in the first place in conditions when we can no longer maintain economic interaction with partners like Turkey because they have indeed been treacherous and cunning and have committed something, which is going to throw our relations far back," the Russian vice-premier went on to say.

According to Rogozin, Russia and India should develop trade and economic relations to fill the enormous vacuum, which has been created.

Rogozin said that a strong-willed solution on long-standing problems, including a couple of failed projects, which had plagued the Russian-Indian relations over the past years, would lead to an upsurge of bilateral trade and economic ties.

According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Moscow and New Delhi are close to signing an agreement on the "major helicopter project", Russia’s Dmitry Rogozin told TASS on Tuesday after talks with the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister Ajit Doval.

"Detailed discussion of specific forms for localization of Russian technologies and Russian equipment manufacturing in the field of aviation within the framework of the "Make in India" concept took place today," Rogozin said. "This primarily pertains to the major helicopter project. Negotiations are coming to end and we hope the relevant intergovernmental agreement that will support production of Russian helicopters in India can be reached on December 24," the official added.

Ka-226T helicopter manufacturing is meant, Rogozin said. The helicopter with unique flight performance and the coaxial system of rotors make possible to use it in high mountains and on board of Indian ships, since it is resistant to wind loads. "This product was interesting for the Indian market for a long time, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said publicly some time ago," Rogozin said. "Today we made a step towards execution of a large contract," he added.

Russia has what to offer India in the sphere of space exploration, stated Russian Vice-Premier. "In 2015, the Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) was in the process of transition to a united state corporation and was seriously preoccupied with the internal reforms. As of January 1, 2016, the state corporation will remain the only body to regulate Russia’s policy in space exploration. Today, we agreed on the first steps of interaction with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)," Rogozin said.

The vice-premier explained that other topics for discussion included the development of a group of satellites for remote sensing of the Earth and the creation of ground architecture, including navigation groupings.

"We have enormous top-quality potential linked to rocket propulsion engineering. We can offer it to India in a long-term perspective when it joins the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)," Rogozin said.

"It is a sphere in which we actively cooperate even with the Americans. Despite their self-limitation in this field, they have to recognize Russia’s perfection in this type of technologies," the Russian vice-premier stressed.

"Russia regards India as a partner with which we have practically no restrictions in terms of our international commitments except for separate issues such as the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). But it’s just a matter of time," Rogozin said.

According to him, the Indian side showed great interest in obtaining modern Russian technologies.

"India is very interested in technologies with which no other country, which is trying to make friends with it, is going to share for reasons of national egoism and narrow-mindedness. As for us, we see great prospects here," the Russian vice-premier stressed.

"We have enormous top-quality potential linked to rocket propulsion engineering. We can offer it to India in a long-term perspective when it joins the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)," Rogozin said.

"It is a sphere in which we actively cooperate even with the Americans. Despite their self-limitation in this field, they have to recognize Russia’s perfection in this type of technologies," the Russian vice-premier stressed.